Dominic
The guards clenched my shoulders tightly, my body tauten. The halls were crowded with troopers, their black masks fused to me as I passed by each of them in a flash. I held my head down, refusing to gawk slightly at any of them. I only had been walking for about a minute, but caught in my thoughts, it felt like hours. My mind flooded with tides of confusion and guilt, a blur of moments and spectacles. What the hell happened back there?
My hand was fastened on Evelyn's throat. I knew it was. But I couldn't have...I would never. My mind was knotted, I didn't even know what thoughts I hauled were my own anymore. I felt drunken with darkness, overstepped by something evil. I detested it. I hated that I couldn't resist.
I knew what happened...I just wanted to ignore the truth of it.
The guards shoved me past the cells, leading me into a dark hall that no troops overran. Why didn't they take me to the cells? I mulled over, but I was too exhausted to open my mouth and push out words. My head pounded, my bloodied arms scorched and my muscles ailed. I was almost glad I couldn't remember what happened. Though the pain was a slight suggestion.
Before I knew it, my back was pushed against a wall, one of the trooper's hands over my mouth, silencing me from saying anything. I gasped, and lifted my brow. Another trooper passed by, ignoring our presence.
I lunged my fist forward to push the trooper away, but they caught my knuckles effortless with the bawl of their palms. I threw another punch, and likewise, the trooper struck my swing, grabbing my arm and twisting it behind my back so my chest was pressed against the wall. I grinded my teeth, pain shooting up my shoulder.
"God Dominic, why must you be so difficult?" A restless voice sounded under the troopers mask. A voice I recognized, and almost felt a smile on my lips from the sweet sound.
"Celeste?" I said uncomfortably, being I could barely twist my neck over my shoulder to speak.
She let go of my arms. I let out a breath, and turned around, rubbing my shoulder. She clutched the helmet and lifted it off her head, her golden features dim against the dark hall, yet so strikingly noticeable. Behind her, the other trooper lifted their helmet. It was Kyler. I'd never been so glad to see them both, I had to blink a few times to be sure what I was seeing was real. How did they...why did they? It didn't matter--they were here, and I needed their help. And not to get me out...we needed to find Evelyn.
"How did you guys get in here?" I said in a panicked murmur.
Celeste huffed, "Ev put on quite the distraction. It was rather easy to get in with all the guards concentrated on her."
"Evelyn came here by herself?"
Kyler nodded, "She didn't even falter."
My stomach dropped to my feet, shame rising in my throat. Evelyn came by herself to save me, and then I...I didn't want to think about it. If Cel and Kyler were the troopers that took me away...that meant they had to have seen some of what happened. My chest tightened.
I looked to my feet, then shamefully glanced to Cel, "What you saw back there...it was-"
"It wasn't your fault Dom." She lifted her hand and cupped my cheek. Though she knew who did that to me, I could still see the fear eating up her brown eyes. The taste as sour in her, as in me. I nodded, and she lowered her hand. I felt no need to say much more. Frankly, I didn't want to talk of it. I was still so mortified of myself.
"We need to get out of here. The troopers are all still lined upstairs, we can make a run for it." Said Kyler
"No." I shook my head, "We need to find Evelyn. We are not leaving without her."
I veered forwards, but the two didn't follow. They held their heads down nervously, and said nothing.
"Are you guys coming?"
They glanced at each other, almost a warning sign.
"Dominic I-" Celeste tried to speak, but was silenced by a wave of guilt. I knew what she was going to say and I hated it. I was glad Kyler spoke for her.
"Dominic, we can't go find Evelyn. It's too risky right now."
"I'm not leaving without her." I shook my head in denial. Evelyn came for me, so we would come for her. I didn't know where I would find her, or how, but someway I'd get to her. I'd find a way.
"Are you serious?" my voice raised aloft, and Celeste pressed her fingers to her lips, warning me to quiet down. "If they get to her they win. We can't let them win." I turned to Celeste, she knew me better than anyone. I hoped she would understand me, that she would read into my thoughts and agree. And I was right.
"We can look." She said. "But if we don't find her-"
"We'll find her." I said. How the hell did I know if we'd find her? I didn't. It was a sip of consolation. An ounce of hope. False hope though.
I reckoned back to the room they left Evelyn in. Doctors swarmed us, each inclined with notepads and pens, Grant Holden stood in the middle. The ringleader of experiments. My best guess was she had to be in the laboratory--it was the only thing that made sense.
"The lab." I said "I think that's where she is."
Kyler and Celeste glanced wearily at each other, "How do you know?" Kyler asked. I was already trailing ahead, and they slipped their helmets back over their eyes.
"I don't." I answered. "Let's hope it's one hell of a lucky guess."
At least I was being honest. Creating false hope is sometimes just as bad as having no hope at all. Some think it builds you up; though I think it only helps to tear you down.
We entered the doors of the lab, the hall was empty and our footsteps sounded off the white walls. The two vast doors stood before us, the evil mouth that would swallow me up daily. I didn't fear them anymore; I wouldn't let myself be afraid. I was built on fear, so I would live trying to mend vitality.
I remembered the code to the door like it was inscribed on the palm of my hand. I watched the troopers press it in over and over again, took note, and never forgot.
27983. A rather simple pattern actually. As we entered, the quiet room was filled with twilight. No lab chairs were lit with a terrible fluorescent light, no machines rumbling and coursing and no bolts of electricity sounded. It was abandoned--no one was there.
Maybe she wasn't there after all.
Celeste nudged my shoulder, "I'll check the right perimeter, you check the left, Kyler will stay on guard." She was right, it didn't hurt to check. I nodded and clicked my feet down the left side of the hall.
My eyes glimpsed through the glass windows. Each room had a chair propped up, a light hung over it and a machine clamped through cords. A chill snaked up my back--the feeling of everything they've done to me reentered my brain. The burn of hot liquid in my veins, the slash of substance in my flesh, the twinging headache that would last for hours on end. It was horrifying, but as I said--I wasn't afraid.
My foot cracked on the floor, and a voice from behind me made my body jump.
"If you're looking for her, she's not here."
I turned around, a man in a white-cloaked lab coat stood before me, his features drenched by the dim hall light, but I could make out who it was...Grant Holden. My body chilled, my knuckles clenched in my palm, my nails digging into my skin.
"Tell me where she is, and I won't bash your brains." I said, my fist tighter. Not really sure where that came from--I was just angry I guess.
Grant held up his hands in surrender, shaking his head with a sigh. "I mean she's not here."
I relaxed my fingers and drew back in confusion, a lift of my brow. "What do you mean she's not here?"
He said nothing. Only gaped to the ground, nervously twitching at the hem of his jacket. I repeated my self, he remained silent. I was growing impatient by the second, and my resentment couldn't contain itself.
I surged forwards, my hand clenching the fabric of Grant's shirt and I shot my hand forwards, shoving his back against the wall. His eyes lit with dismay, his breath rapid and anxious. It was laughable. A man who had so much power seemed so powerless in an instant.
"I'm not asking again, you bastard!" I grinded my teeth
He shivered his head, his voice trembling with fear, "Its...it's too late."
"What do you mean?" My head tangled with confusion, and I gripped tighter to his shirt. As I picked up my fist, he closed his eyes so tight his whole face wrinkled--I could feel his body shuddering under my grasp. He presented himself so highly, yet he was such a coward. "Where's Evelyn!" I clapped in his wretched face.
"They...they took her away."
"Where?"
"Ple...please let go of me. I'll tell you."
I clenched tighter, "Frankly, I don't trust you."
"And you have no right too." He quavered.
"Exactly." I pushed my fist into his stomach, he whined and moaned, the cry of a baby. It took so much in me not to laugh.
"God damnit!" He yelled, "I'm trying to help you!"
I moderated my grip, and he exhaled a breath. The perplexity I held only ascended, I didn't think it could get any worse. Grant Holden, trying to help me? Yeah right.
"Why would you help me?"
"Don't get me wrong," He panted, "Evelyn's power has always enthralled me. I wished to perform trials and other endeavors to study it thoroughly..."
"You're not helping your case." I crossed my arms.
"Let me finish." he huffed, "I never expected them to use her power. At least not like this."
"What do you mean?"
"They're going to make her do something...something very bad. I think if you can find her in time, you may be able to stop her."
My heart jabbed in my chest at his words. What did he mean? They're going to make her do something very bad. Evelyn wouldn't...she would never let them use her like that. Nomatter, we had to help her. I had to help her.
"Tell me where they took her." I glared at Grant. He fixed his glasses and nervously peeked his gaze from the floor.
"You should know." He said, "You live there."
Oh no.
I left Grant standing in the hall, my body urging to find Celeste in Kyler. My thoughts were distraught, my senses panicking. What if he was lying? There was no way he could be divulged. But what if he was not...then everything we knew was at risk.
"Celeste!" I yelled, she turned her masked head, slanted in plight.
"We need to go!"
"Did you find her?" She implored
"No. But I know where she is."
"Where?"
The words felt wrong climbing from my throat. The worry that followed surged past. "They're taking her into No Mans Land." My heart was beating so fast I could hardly speak, "They're taking her to the Rogues."
Authors note:
Hey guys! As you know I've been taking a little break from writing. Being I want to focus on improving my mental health and balancing school. I also am in a sport that has been taking up lots of my time. I know I said I'd be releasing all the ending chapters at once, but once I wrote these I couldn't resist posting. I hope you guys can understand why I haven't been posting as often. Again, thank you for all the kind words and support. I love you all❤️
-Kayla